The Green Bay Packers simply have been making moves with their inside linebackers this off-season. They started off by cutting Brad Jones from the team, and the next person to go would be AJ Hawk, who is now with the Cincinnati Bengals. But Jake Ryan, the Packers fourth round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, has some great size and would be the man to play next to Sam Barrington in the middle of the field.
To go back to his size, he measured in at 6'2" and 240 lbs. Looking at his Michigan bio, it says that he "recorded 112 tackles, 14 TFLs, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception." That would be just for his Senior season and across 12 games. His NFL draft profile compares him to a former Green Bay Packer and fan favorite in Desmond Bishop.
The Packer's defense has been often maligned several times over the past few years and it is integral to the Packers potential success in the 2015 season that they have to improve. This writer thinks that Ryan could develop during the season and be prepared for the playoffs to help get the Packers back to the Super Bowl. That would of course be the best case scenario. If Ryan is unready or just doesn't show quick improvement, except the Packers to go back to Plan C. Plan C is for Clay Matthews, because they would put him back in the middle and use Julius Peppers and Nick Perry as the outside rushers in the Packers base 3-4 scheme.
Jake Ryan is not going to be the only player who is asked to step up on defense this season, but he certainly is going to battle to try and make that first start of the season in Solder Field on September 13 when they take on the Bears. This writer thinks that Ryan will start that game and if healthy, will start all 16 games this season for the Green and Gold.